Maximum leverage turbine with compound drive buckets



May 22, 1962 A. M. CADDELL MAXIMUM LEVERAGE TURBINE WITH COMPOUND DRIVE BUCKETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 June Filed FIG.4

INVENTOR. W22.

United States Patent 3,035,758 MAXIMUM LEVERAGE TURBINE WITH COMPOUND DRIVE BUCKETS Alfred M. Caddell, 1318 W. Hunting Park Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. Filed June 16, 1959, Ser. No. 820,686 5 Claims. (Cl. 230116) The rotor described in the present application may be regarded as an alternative to the rotor in pending application entitled Impulse and Reactive Tip-Driven Rotor,

filed September 25, 1958, Serial No. 763,362, now Patent No. 2,992,684, in which presentation a new type of turbine drive makes maximum use of leverage, due to motive fluid being applied to buckets mounted at the periphery of the rotor; which drive translates into maximum torque per pound of available fluid pressure. As one important use, when applied to propeller assemblies, this maximum leverage application of energy is most appropriate for driving blades to attain vertical lift in aircraft.

The difierences between the rotor described in the pending and that of the instant application lie mainly in the types of buckets that constitute the heart of the turbine constructions, and also the means whereby high-temperature, high-pressure motive fluid is directed into and out of the buckets to utilize-the energy in the fluid to the fullest possible extentf'Each of these turbine constructions is mounted on the periphery ofa rotor and each offers advantages from the standpoints of light weight, rigidity of construction and powerful turning effort per unit of energy employed.

Although propeller blades comprise the preferred use of these inventions, a disc having the described types of buckets mounted on the periphery thereof would offer maximum shaft take-01f power for industrial uses.

In the above-mentioned Serial No. 763,362, the turbine construction is comprised of a true-circle wall having outwardly extending flanges at the 'top and bottom thereof. In the depth area provided between these flanges there are mounted against the outer surface of said wall at the juncture of said flanges a top bank and a lower bank of buckets. Small pure jet gas turbine engines (four are shown in the drawings for each rotor, although two or possibly one may suffice) are mounted in a casing surrounding the rotor, the tail pipes of the engines extending into the space between the banks of buckets and discharging through apertures jet motive fluid equally into the inner ends of both the top and bottom buckets. Whereupon the fluid, after having accomplished impulse drive work, is thrown centrifugally within the buckets and is discharged through a converging orifice at the radial extremity thereof in a direction opposite to that of the rotors rotation, thus bringing into being reactive drive which greatly assists in the rotors turning effort, after which the fluid strikes curved stator blades mounted on the inner surface of the casing wall to be'deflected downwardly, thereby adding to the density and volume of air" moved by the blades in the area spanning the propeller hub and said true-circle wall. If this type of construction is mounted in an aircraft to rotate direct-lift propeller blades separate jet engines may be provided to attain forward flight.

In the instant application, the turbine construction of the rotor is comprised of a frusto-conical wall that en-' compasses and is movably secured to the tips of propeller blades which, in a sense, serve as spokes connecting .the hub with said wall; Spaced radially from this wall are two parallel-spaced frusto-conical walls integrated with each other by spider means and having contours similar to that of the first-mentioned wall, between which two walls motive fluid receiving buckets are mounted. These buckets are likewise formed to conform to ,the

construction of the walls, extending in a downward and outward direction and being curved to discharge combustion gas in a direction opposite to that of the rotors rotation.

In this turbine construction the motive fluid is generated in a pure jet type of engine from which a part or all of the fluid may be diverted to drive the rotor, or rotors of an aircraft. Whereupon, after sufiicient altitude has been attained, the diversion means may be changed to permit the motive fluid to discharge rearwardly in the conventional manner of a jet engine to drive the craft forward.

The advantages offered by this instant type of construction will become apparent as the herein description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a cross-sectional side view of a rotor mounted in a casing, in which view is shown a method of mounting the turbine drive means on the tips of propeller blades. Also, means are shown in the hub for changing the pitch of the blades.

FIG. 2 shows two rotor assemblies mounted for rotation in an aircraft construction. Two gas turbine (jet) engines are also shown, the motive fiuid generated therein being diverted to drive the rotors peripherally for achieving direct lift, after which the fluid is expelled rearwardly to generate forward flight.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view showing movable means in the tail pipe of a jet engine for diverting motive fluid so that it will strike the buckets mounted on the periphery of a rotor assembly to bring about direct lift.

FIG. 4 is a three-quarter View of an impulse-reactive type bucket designed to reverse the flow of the motive fluid within the buckets and after it strikes the rear wall of the bucket throw it downwardly and outwardly for discharge in a direction opposite to that of the rotors rotation. As will be noted, these buckets have side walls that extend their full length to help contain the gas and assist in directing it outwardly and downwardly.

FIG. 5 is a three-quarter View showing the mounting relation of buckets with each other and the plate between each bucket for guiding the motive fluid so that it will strike the upper portion of the rear wall before the flow is reversed and discharged downwardly and outwardly in a direction opposite to that of the rotors rotation to assist in rotation and the creation of upward lift.

FIG. 6 is a three-quarter view of the bucket assembly showing the mounting of propeller blades between a hub and the tapered wail encompassing the tips of the blades.

FIG. 7 is an end view showing a section of the bottom a of the tail pipe which, upon being retracted, permits the mounting of propeller blades to the turbine construction.

Arrow 1, FIG. 3, indicates the motive fluid illustrated by heat wave lines coming from a jet engine 6 through tail pipe 6A and striking the back of buckets 2 in the top section thereof. Guide plate 3, which extends from the back of each bucket a distance into the bucket preceding it in rotation, assures delivery of the fluid into the top portion of the bucket directly against the rear wall thereof; after which, due to the buckets semicircular and side wall construction, the fluid travels downwardly and outwardly in a direction opposite to that of 3 the rotors rotation as shown by arrow 4, FIGS. 1, 3 and 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6, buckets 2 are mounted between walls 39 and 40 respectively, which walls taper outwardly from top to bottom and which are made integral with each other by means of spiders 17 at the top and 18 at the bottom, as indicated particularly in FIG. 1. The purpose of this type of construction is two-fold: One, it provides greater strength which enables it to withstand high centrifugal stresses that develop during rotation of the rotor; two, due to the attainable high peripheral speed, the centrifugal force developed in the fluid within the buckets imparts a high velocity thereto, the natural reaction of the centrifugal flow as it is being diverted slantingly downward by the buckets outer wall being to buoy the buckets upwardly. Further, upon the fluid striking the inner surface of casing 5 and being forced downward, the resulting reaction contributes toward the upward lift of the entire rotor and the turning eflort thereof.

Tail pipe 6A of engine 6 is of oblong design. As shown in FIG. 8, flanges 68 extend outwardly from the bottom thereof. These flanges have grooved travelways 7 that continue throughout their full length, as indicated in FIG. 7, for accommodating a plurality of ball bearings 8 upon which movable bottom section 9 rides, to provide bearing and aligning support for said section, which also has grooved travelways fromed in the underside of flanges 9A. A rack gear 93, FIGS. 7 and 8, is formed on each side of section 9 into the teeth of which gear the teeth of spur gears 10 mesh. The latter gears are mounted on an axle 9C, and may receive power from any conventional source, such as manual, electrical or hydraulic, none of which is herein shown.

The retraction of section 9 and the lowering of member 11, which is hinged to the top wall of the tail pipe, as at 11A, FIG. 7, causes downward deflection of the motive fluid through opening 12 into buckets 2.

Deflecting member 11 is actuated by rack gear 13, which isgiven motion by spur gear 14 and which may also be actuated by any conventional means, such as manual, electrical or hydraulic, none of which is shown.

By regulating the position of retractable section 9 and deflection of the fluid by member 11, the speed of the rotor may be most conveniently controlled.

Should this maximum leverage turbine be adapted to adirect-lift type of aircraft, such as is herein illustrated, by controlling the speed of the rotor and the pitch of its propeller blades, the ascent and descent of the aircraft may be kept under perfect control, and upon attaining sufiicient altitude both member 11 and section 9 may be moved into their respective positions, as per dotted outlines in FIG. 7. When in these positions, the motive fluid will be directed rearwardly to provide forward propulsion for the aircraft. The arrow in FIG. 3 shows this rearward discharge.

In .this connection, the employment of means such as suggested in applicants Patent .No. 2,963,856 entitled Vestibule Air Intake for Jet Engines, will prevent the forward motion of the craft while vertical rise and descent is being undertaken, it being possible by means of the latter invention for a jet engine to breathe in its combustion and temperature dilution air from on top instead of solely from in front, as at present.

As indicated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, the propeller blades are encompassed by a frusto-conical, or tapered wall 15, to which the taper of the buckets conform. As explained in connection with the construction of buckets 2, this wall taperprovides strength for the rotors construction and propels radially and downwardly the air moved by blades 16 causing by reaction upward buoyancy of the rotor. As shown in FIG 1, wall is made integral with the inner of the two-wall construction by spider 17 at the top and spider 18 at the bottom thereof.

FIG. 9 shows ball 19 and socket means 20 which may be employed to movably secure the propeller blades to wall 15 and to the innermost wall of the two-wall construction. The ball part of the combination is, in reality a special bolt-type connector having a rounded head free to oscillate in socket fitting 20, which abuts wall 15 on its outer side and is secured to the innermost wall of the two-wall construction by bolts 21. The threaded shank of connector 19 engages an elongated fixture 22 which is embedded in the tip of propeller blades 16. Adjustment of this connector may be made by locknut 23. When the pitch of the blades is changed by means within the hub, this ball-socket combination, while maintaining relation between the blades and the turbine construction, permits free oscillation of the blades according to the pitch desired.

Hub 24 of the propeller assembly contains ball-bearing bevel gearing 25 which communicates with the blades and which is actuated by a bevel gear 26 secured to shaft 27 cradled between ball bearing assemblies 28 and 29 respectively and actuated by bevel gear 30, which may be connected by conventional means to a source of power, not shown. Upon being actuated, the pitch of all the propeller blades may be uniformly maintained. This hub is keyed to shaft 27, as at 31.

This turbine-driven rotor is mounted to rotate within the confines of easing 5, which is supported and held in accurate alignment by a construction comprised of a hub 32 and radiating arms 33 which engage casing 5 at flanges 5A to which they are secured by bolts 34.

. Casing 5, in turn, may be mounted as illustrated in a contiguous body or a construction forming an aircraft 35, having fuselage 36, in which aircraft construction engines 6 are mounted to perform their dual function of turning the rotors via diverted motive fluid means, as described, and then propelling the craft forward in the customary jet engine manner. 'Tail assembly 37 is provided for ,controlling the movements of said craft. Arrows 3,8, which have small circles on their ends, signify either frontal air intake or top air intake as described in connection with the aforesaid vestibule air intake means.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A rotor mounted for rotation in arcasing, said rotor being comprised of a hub, aplurality of members radiating therefrom, a frusto-conical wall encompassing said members, said members being movably secured at their peripheral extremities thereof to said wall, a two-wall frusto-conical structure, the two walls thereof being concentrically spaced from each other and .said structure being outwardly and concentrically spaced from the firstmentioned frusto-conical wall, spider means for joining said first-mentioned Wall and said structure, .a plurality of buckets mounted between and assuming theconical contour of said two walls, a source of motive fluid in said casing, said rotor describing a circle to have the-buckets thereof rotate beneath .said source, .a regulated hinged member for directing said fluid at will into said buckets and for conveying it at will .to a destination outside of said casing.

'2. The rotor described in claim 1 wherein said buckets have a curved backwall and side walls that extend the full length of said back wall, a plate mounted between and extending partially into said buckets to form an'upper and a lower portion thereof, said plate directing the fluid into said upper portion against the back wall, said fluid thereafter following the contour of said back wall within the confines of said side walls and being discharged downwardly and outwardly from said lower portion in a direction opposite to that of the rotors rotation.

3. The rotor described in claim 1 wherein said hub incorporates means for changing the pitch of said members, said members being secured to said first-mentioned frustoconical wall by movable means carried by said members for coacting with bearing surfaces carried by said firstmentioned wall and said two-wall frusto-conical structure.

4. A rotor comprised of a hub, a plurality of members radiating from said hub, a frusto-conical Wall encompassing said members, openings through said wall opposite said members, a two-Wall frusto-conical structure, said two walls being spaced from each other and said structure being outwardly spaced from said first-mentioned frusto-conical wall, stress-supporting means secured to the innermost -wall of said two-wall structure and movable bearing surfaces housed within said stresssupporting means, each of said bearing surfaces having an extension protruding through said openings for engaging the member opposite thereto.

5. The rotor described in claim 4 wherein each of said members houses an elongated fixture in its peripheral extremity, each of said fixtures having a threaded hole ex- 15 tending throughout its length, a combination ball and References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,165,794 McClave Dec. 28, 1915 1,205,016 Ramsey Nov. 14, 1916 FOREIGN PATENTS 67,737 France Oct. 7, 1957 (Addition to No. 1,068,404) 

